Lots of red yarn for a special gift
Ok not a serious fear but a knitting fear...
CABLING
It's a beautiful knitting technique I have admired for a long time but it intimidated me. It just looks so time consuming and complicated, and well, following graphs is not one of my strong points. All of that said, I decided I needed to bite the bullet and just do it.
There was a pattern I had been eyeing for K for a long time, but it had cables, so I just pushed it to the back burner. But now it fits perfectly with other presents I planned on making for her birthday, so I couldn't hide from it any longer.
I had my trusty computer opened up to knittinghelp.com and sat down with my yarn, needles and that crazy looking cable needle. I watched the cabling video and was blown away by how easy it looked. Surely it couldn't really be that easy...Well,you can imagine my surprise when I started and bam it really was that easy! Oh my, I did it. Once I started I couldn't stop (which is a good thing because this pattern has more stitches than I am used to knitting with and may very well take me until September to finish), I am in love!
But alas my excitement got the best of me and I goofed up my cable on one side. I must have mixed up a couple of rows on my graph. *sigh* It's ok, though, it's all a learning experience, right? I am hoping to rip it out to that row and start back over today.
Now knowing just how simple cabling is, I am left wondering - What took me so long?!
Happy creating!
*Sorry for the pics,(and the fur in all the pics - ah, life with 6 furry animals) my camera and I were fighting yesterday...*
31 comments:
I love it! You did great work. I'm so scared of cabling too.
That pattern seems to combine three of my favorite things: red, seed stitch and cables. It looks great!
You might consider just letting the cable stitches run down to where the mis-cabled part is instead of the full rows of work. If you have a couple of dpns, use those on the few (six?) cable stitches and work your way up with the loose yarn behind your work.
No matter how you do it, that's going to be one cute red sweater!
best ~ Annri
Knitting is a great way for me to practice life.
I too wrote about fear yesterday...fear can be very powerful. I find it helpful to practice pushing through fear...it helps me when I actually come to a place where the stakes are higher (like our flooding situation here).
Congratulations! I have done a bit of cabling and loved the results. One of my knitting fears is knitting garments. Like you I am sure that it won't be hard if I just sit down and try it. Any suggestions of a project to start me off?
Looks great!
I too was surprised at just how easy cables were. They are very rewarding.
It looks great, Nicole! I bit the bullet and learned cabling a few months ago too, on a pair of mittens. Now I'm planning a cabled sweater for Finn's birthday. I hope it goes as well as yours!
Oops, sorry if this goes through twice, I'm still getting a hang of these blogs.
This looks great! It's great to take on new things. I too was surprised at how easy cables were. They are very rewarding to knit.
Ooh...that looks intriguing! What is it? A cape? A dress? I recently fell in love with a little knit dress pattern I found on Ravelry, but the number of stitches is very scary! Especially since I only have time to knit in the evening and in the van...
What is the pattern?
I love cabling, but one word of advice. Always be mindful of your tension while knitting cables. From my own experience, I tend to cable much tighter and it bunches sometimes. When I am mindfully knitting (um, when is that?!)I manage to keep my tensions even throughout.
I love that colour. It's almost like Little Red Riding Hood cape red.
How funny... I had a similar experience yesterday, but with i-cord. I usually just crochet a single chain because using dpns to knit a cord just seemed like it might be a bit tedious. I went to youtube, watched some videos, and then felt a tad ridiculous! Easy Peasy! I may never use a crocheted chain again! Cables are next!
Beautiful yarn choice by the way. What a lovely rich red!
~Carrie
Beautiful Color! And that is exactly what I thought when I did cables for the first time :)
Wow... the colour is wonderful and I am really looking forward to seeing this wonderful work when it's finished! Greetings from rainy Austria!!!
I love doing cable work! I've been dragging my feet on multi color knitting and socks. Perhaps this is just the inspiration I need. :)
Hurray for a new handwork skill. You know, I had the same experience when I first learned to cable. Intimidated and reluctant to try it. Then once I did, incredulous at how easy!
Beautiful project!
carrie
Oh, yes...they really ARE easy. No one believes it when I say that, and the do look impressive.
Yours are lovely! Congrats! No biggie about the ripping out part...It's all about the process.
:o)
so, so beautiful! I am not quite there yet (cabling). But you've given me courage to try when the time is right :)
Yes, cables are very easy! I feel about color work the way you felt about cables. Oh, don't frog back all thos rows-- just drop down the cables to where the mistake is, fix it, and work back up until you can put your cable stitches back on the needles. Beautiful red!
HA, I know exactly what you mean! I put it off for so long and then it was so easy I felt really dumb about it lol. But you are a much more advanced knitter than me, so I feel better about myself knowing that even the awesomest of knitters gets nervous from time to time :)
i felt the exact same way when i first started cabling..:) it is time consuming, but so much fun!
it's going to be gorgeous when all finished..:)
Oh my! This is just amazing Nicole!!!! Wow! I also love cables:)
I love seeing the progress of cables as I knit. It is very satisfying. Your red yarn is yummy!
GREAT! I love that you decided to dare. I am also hesitating for many new things; knitting sweaters, knitting some wearable things for my baby, trying to felt, sewing a skirt or pants for my boys with a pattern.a.s.f.
But your started gift is really wonderful; I like how you create, so with much love and many good thoughts in the process itself. You are amazing, Nicole!
Bora from Switzerland
Wow, Nicole!
This is absolutely gorgeous and incredible!
Gorgeous! I LOVE that color! Thanks for the inspiration. I've wanted to try cabling for a long time too, but it looks so complicated! Perhaps I'll have to give it a try.
I've fooled my friends into thinking I'm a knitting expert by bravely diving into any new technique that catches my eye...books and the internet are wonderful things! And it always amazes me how complicated things can seem...simple once you give yourself time to learn. A good lesson to pass on to our children, n'est-ce pas?
So beautiful and I am so impressed that you just went ahead and tried something new! I still am not over my knitting anxiety, but you are giving me inspiration to try again
K is going to love her sweater, you are such a fantastic creative mama <3
I also remember being shocked at how simple cabling could be! It looks lovely!
I've been putting cable projects on the back burner too. I guess it's the fear of failing...ridiculous. There are so many things that I delayed because I thought they were too hard when in fact they were easy. Hurray to you and as for me you gave me a nudge to start my first cable project!
That looks wonderful!! I am eying a pattern in Vintage Babies for cabled booties to try my first attempt - you are doing great!
congratulations on conquering your fear, nicole! those cables look beautiful and yes, they are easier than they look. :) i can NOT wait to see this gorgeous cape - it is going to be so beautiful! :)
Thanks everyone! Better to not live in fear, huh?! :)
I just un-did the cables like you ladies suggested and gixed it up, now I am back on track.
The pattern if from an old Living Crafts issue it's a little red riding hood cape.
Lynnette - Hmm, I am not sure. I would maybe start with something that just has one or two cable rows maybe? I saw a cutewrist warmer pattern on ravelry that had a single cable down the middle...
I hope everyone is havign a great week!! XO
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